


The Moongarden

by heretherebemonsters



Series: Building by Design [5]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Claude is a good kisser, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, M/M, Romance, Shy!Sebastian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 14:04:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3899068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heretherebemonsters/pseuds/heretherebemonsters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Claude and Sebastian head out on their first date. Fluff and kisses ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Moongarden

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing you recognize.

Claude was determined to make his and Sebastian’s first date something special, something that they would both remember fondly for the rest of their lives. After they both agreed on a Friday night two weeks from that fateful Thursday when Claude had come over to find Sebastian a beautiful mess, Claude devoted a lot of time to thinking over date night ideas. Since it was still summer, they could do virtually anything without having to give much thought to weather-related concerns. That meant they could spend some time outside, walking along the shore of one of the local lakes or strolling through a park, and that sounded agreeable to Claude. No matter how much time he spent outdoors with his work, he never seemed to tire of being close to nature.

Given Sebastian’s shy nature, Claude ruled out anything that involved a lot of other people or crowds of any size. He thought that perhaps it was best to keep it small and intimate, giving them better opportunities for conversation. Besides that, Claude wanted to take Sebastian somewhere nice, somewhere that required a gentleman’s wardrobe. He knew it had been ages since anyone had done that for him and everyone deserved to be spoiled now and then. And no one was more deserving of it than Sebastian, especially in light of everything with Will.

A few days passed as Claude alternately thought of and then discarded a long list of ideas. Nothing seemed exactly right. Certain things seemed like a good time, like the street carnival in town, but didn’t leave much opportunity for talk and that seemed to be the thing that Sebastian wanted most right now, to form connections with him. That suited Claude just fine of course, since he found Sebastian’s brilliant mind a fascinating place, but that narrowed the list of options a bit.

He was driving home from the last day of his current build when it came to him. He was dusty and hot and tired after putting the few last minute finishing touches on the building and signing off on all the involved paperwork but he and his crew had managed to finish up early anyway. He was cruising down the highway toward home with the windows down and the radio up, enjoying the wind rushing through his hair, when the perfect date night itinerary suddenly popped into his head from nowhere. He grinned; oh this was going to be amazing.

++++

The Friday of their date, Sebastian received a text from Claude while he was out on his lunch break. It was a simple message that left no room for debate.

I’ll pick you up at six tonight. Be sure to dress nice. We’re going out in style.

Sebastian blinked at his phone, not sure what to think at first. Apparently, Claude was taking him somewhere fancy. He wasn’t sure exactly how to feel about that. It had been so long since anyone had taken him out for a date of any kind, let alone a fancy one. He was excited by the idea, yes, but also a little nervous. He didn’t want to embarrass himself or Claude or be a disappointment. Nonetheless he texted back: Okay. I’ll be ready at six.

By the time work was over and he was on the way home, Sebastian’s nervousness had increased along with his excitement. For someone as naturally shy as he was, the two seemed to go hand in hand. He hummed along with the radio in an effort to distract himself as he drove.

Once home, Sebastian fell into a frenzy of activity. It was after four and that meant that he had less than two hours to get ready. He fed Kali and threw his last load of laundry in the dryer before jumping in the shower. He emerged fifteen minutes later and went to rifle through his closet with a towel around his waist, ebony hair still dripping.

It took Sebastian longer than he would have liked to choose something to wear. He chewed his lower lip and scowled when nothing in his wardrobe seemed adequate. Finally he pulled down a pair of crisply pressed black dress pants and a silver-gray buttondown. That was a good base to start from. He towel dried his hair and slipped into the chosen garments, tucking the shirt in. He threw on a thin black belt and a satin navy blue tie. A black blazer left open and shiny black loafers were the finishing touches. Sebastian turned a critical eye on on his reflection in the full-length mirror behind the bathroom door. After a moment of intense studying he decided he looked pretty damn good and turned away to go run a comb through his hair.

It was six o’clock sharp when the doorbell rang. Sebastian jumped a bit; he was just finishing up in the bathroom, topping off his look for the evening with a dash of woodsy cologne. Flipping the light off, he hurried to answer the door and got his first shock of the night.

When Claude had said to dress nice, he’d meant it and taken his own advice. The man had turned out in a pristine charcoal gray three piece suit, though he’d toned down the formality by leaving the jacket unbuttoned and not wearing a tie. The top button of his shirt was undone, giving Sebastian an enticing peek at his collarbone. The muted colors set off his golden eyes wonderfully and Sebastian found himself gaping.

Claude took in his reaction and chuckled. “Didn’t think I owned a suit, did you?” he teased.

Sebastian flushed because that’s exactly what he’d been thinking, and replied, “You look very handsome.” And exactly the type of man who would catch Sebastian’s eye out on the town.

Claude straightened his vest, a playful smile on his lips. “Why, thank you. You do too. But I already knew you cleaned up nice.”

Sebastian’s flush deepened at the compliment. “Thanks.”

“Are you ready to go?” Claude asked, adjusting his glasses.

Sebastian nodded. “Just let me grab my keys.”

He stepped back inside and snatched his key ring from the hook beside the garage door, gave Kali one last farewell pat where she hovered in the dining room doorway, watching him leave, and then locked up behind him as he stepped back out. Claude was waiting patiently, admiring the first rays of the sunset painting the western horizon. He glanced over his shoulder at Sebastian as he heard the front door close and smiled. “I think it’s going to be a beautiful evening.”

“I think so,” Sebastian agreed. The air had rapidly cooled down after the sun began to slide down the western sky and now it was balmy and comfortable, a light breeze blowing to keep the bugs away. He breathed deeply of the fresh air and returned Claude’s smile.

“Come on.” Claude nodded toward his truck. “I have reservations for us in half an hour.”

“Reservations?” Sebastian gave Claude a suspicious look as they headed for the truck.

“You didn’t seriously think I’d take you somewhere that didn’t require a waiting list, did you?” Claude asked with a grin, though he sounded appalled by the very idea.

Sebastian shrugged helplessly. “Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. And I haven’t been on a date in so long…” He trailed off as Claude opened the passenger side door for him. Blushing, he climbed up into the by now familiar plush leather seat.

Claude paused long enough in shutting the door to say, “Just relax, Sebastian. Let me spoil you tonight, okay?”

Sebastian took a deep breath and then nodded. “Okay.”

That seemed to settle the matter for Claude and Sebastian resolved to forget about his insecurities and just enjoy himself. He made conversation with Claude on the drive about their respective work days and by the time they’d parked downtown he felt considerably more comfortable.

A short block’s walk brought them to the front doors of Balthazar, one of the trendiest and most upscale restaurants in the city. Sebastian’s eyes widened as he took in the name on the glass door. “Claude! This is one of the priciest places around!”

Claude shrugged. “Have you been here before?”

Sebastian snorted. “I wish!”

Claude grinned, showing off his straight white teeth. “Perfect. Then don’t concern yourself with the bill. I’m paying anyway.”

“C-Claude!” Sebastian stuttered, beginning to protest. Claude cut him off by giving him a gentle but firm nudge forward. Any further words were precluded by the host’s sudden appearance as he held the door to admit them inside.

Sebastian refrained from saying anything else until they’d been seated at a table for two. The pretty young hostess who showed them to their table left them with a smile, the wine list and the promise of a server visiting them very soon. As soon as she was out of earshot, Sebastian leaned closer to the table and said in a low voice, “Claude, seriously. You didn’t have to take me out to a place this fancy. I don’t feel right having you foot the bill for all this.”

Claude looked singularly unconcerned. “Nonsense. I was the one who asked you out so it’s only right that I pay. And I already told you I wanted the chance to treat you right.” He looked up from the wine list he’d been perusing. “Order whatever you like. And you already agreed to let me spoil you tonight, after all. It’s not up for debate.”

Sebastian sighed quietly but acquiesced without further argument. “Alright. Thank you.”

Claude offered him a warm smile. “You’re welcome. It’s my pleasure.”

Sebastian couldn’t resist returning his smile. There was something about Claude that always made him happy. No matter what his mood, Sebastian found that being around Claude always made him feel better. He decided right then to let go of his concerns and just enjoy himself that evening, the very way that Claude wanted him to. In truth, it was nice to have someone so willing to spoil him with a night out. It had been a long time since anyone had done anything for him even remotely this nice. Will had been the last one to take him out on a proper date, after all, and all the guys he’d met since had just been looking for a quick lay. Sebastian was relieved that this wasn’t the case with Claude. It would have really sucked if it had because he really, genuinely liked him.

When the waiter appeared at their table, Claude ordered steak and a bottle of merlot to go with it. Since he’d ordered expensive, Sebastian followed suit and chose seafood. It wasn’t often that he got to indulge in his love of lobster. Claude grinned as the waiter took the menus and left.

“I see someone has fine taste,” he teased.

Sebastian laughed. “I’ve always loved seafood but I don’t get to have it often. A junior architect doesn’t make that much money.”

“People either love seafood or hate it,” Claude commented with a chuckle and this led into a conversation about culinary preferences and Sebastian talked about how much he enjoyed cooking. This little fact seemed to delight Claude, who also confessed to knowing his way around a kitchen quite well.

“If I hadn’t become an architect, I would have been a chef,” Sebastian said with an air of certainty just as their food arrived.

“Oh really?” Claude chuckled as he accepted his plate from the waiter. “If you’re as good in the kitchen as you are with buildings, I’m sure you’d be wildly successful at it.”

Sebastian took in the food on his own plate appreciatively. The assorted shellfish and the lobster would pair well with the wine. “I don’t know about that but if you want a demonstration, why don’t you come over sometime and I’ll cook dinner for you?”

“Really?” Claude sounded surprised, pausing in the middle of cutting of his steak.

Sebastian shrugged as he took a swallow of his wine. “Yeah. Why not?”

“I’d like that,” Claude said softly.

“Good, it’s settled then.” Sebastian folded his linen napkin neatly across his lap, remembering the instructions in manners and etiquette he’d gotten from his grandmother as a young boy. They’d come in handy now and then over the years. “Consider it my way of paying you back for tonight.”

“If you insist,” Claude said with a smile before digging into his steak with gusto.

The rest of dinner passed pleasantly. They ate and talked in an unhurried manner and by the time the waiter brought the final check a few hours had gone by. The wine was gone and their plates were empty. Sebastian was feeling satisfied with the way things had gone and couldn’t keep a smile off his face. Claude just looked happy to see his companion in such good spirits.

After the bill had been paid, the two of them wandered lazily outside. The evening was indeed beautiful, just as Claude had foretold earlier. The nearly full moon was on the rise in the eastern sky and the stars were just barely visible if one peered intently past the glow of city lights. The temperature had dropped but it was still mild and the same light breeze was still blowing.

Sebastian paused on the sidewalk outside the restaurant, taking in a deep breath of the evening air. “It’s gorgeous out here,” he commented.

“Yes it is,” Claude agreed, coming to a stop beside him. “Before we head back, there’s one place I want to take you.”

Sebastian turned to give Claude a surprised look, one eyebrow arched in curiosity. “Oh really? Where’s that?”

Claude grinned. “Can’t tell you. It’s a secret.” He reached for Sebastian’s hand and gave a gentle tug as he began moving away from the restaurant. “Come on. It’s this way.”

Sebastian followed Claude willingly enough, though his feet moved on autopilot as he floundered in a sea of surprise. He hadn’t expected Claude to just grab his hand like that but he wasn’t going to complain. The other man’s fingers felt nice laced between his, his calloused palm warm and strong against Sebastian’s own. He remembered how he’d been taken with the man’s hands right away at their first meeting, admiring the delicate balance between strength and elegance that they boasted. Now there was no denying that holding Claude’s hand sent Sebastian’s heart fluttering. He wanted to laugh at himself for reacting like a teenager.

It was a ten minute walk to the west edge of downtown, where it bordered the river. Claude guided their way as they made several turns down various streets, heading away from the busiest parts of the city center. Sebastian kept pace with him easily. “Claude, where are we going?” he asked again. He thought that if he’d been with anyone else, he might have felt uneasy. But Claude had given him no reason to distrust him.

“We’re nearly there,” Claude replied, turning one last corner and tugging Sebastian’s hand gently.

They were on Riverside Avenue now, right beside the waterway. Sebastian knew the street was lined on one side with stately old homes facing the water; only those of well-to-do families lived down here. The other side of the street was lined with public gardens. Claude led the way across the street and along the sidewalk until they reached a garden entrance shrouded with tall hedges and a wrought iron trellis. All along the trellis grew climbing moonflowers, their pure white blooms open wide in the pale moonlight.

Sebastian’s eyes widened. “The Moongarden? I’ve never actually been here.” He had visited the other gardens along the banks of the river occasionally, enjoying their relative solitude and peacefulness on sunny days. They weren’t all that far from the firm, so they made an excellent place to spend a lunch break on the days he could afford to leave the building for one. He’d heard about the Moongarden and how breathtaking it was on clear nights but he’d never had a chance to come check it out.

Claude smiled. “That’s even better. I’ve been here a few times. It’s really great. Come on.” He headed in under the trellis.

The garden inside immediately enchanted Sebastian. It was like stepping into a mystical realm full of magic and mystery. It sounded cliché but it was true. It wouldn’t have surprised him one bit to see fairies and wood nymphs flitting and lounging about among the plants.

The garden had been laid out in no real discernible shape. Several paths split off from one another just inside the entrance and they rambled off into the dim light in twisting, curving directions, following the natural terrain of the land along the riverside. This meant there were rises and dips and every so often, a trail would split to go around a giant oak tree, converging again on the other side. All along the way there were thick but well -tended beds of gorgeous flowers that only bloomed in the evening and throughout the night. Sebastian recognized some of them: evening primrose, night-blooming gladiolas, honeysuckle and climbing hydrangeas. There were more moonflowers to be spotted throughout and plenty of other flowers he didn’t recognize. The delicate night bloomers were mixed in with showy blossoms of white and cream and pale yellow, oriental poppies, rhododendrons, foxgloves, bleeding hearts and more, all of them easy to see in the dark. The air swirled with the light, delicate scents of at least twenty different types of flowers, not overpowering but pleasant to the olfactory senses. The whole thing was bordered by lilac hedges on every side except the west, where the river lay like a shimmering ribbon in the moonlight. Sebastian could hear it whispering along the rocks as it flowed past.

“Wow,” he murmured, giving Claude’s hand a squeeze. “This is amazing.”

“I’d hoped you’d think so,” Claude admitted.

“Of course! My mother keeps a large flower garden and I grew up helping her tend to it. I appreciate flowers.”

Claude chuckled and squeezed his hand in return. “Me too.” He paused and swept a hand out at the garden around them. “This one is more special than most though.”

“Yes,” Sebastian agreed unhesitatingly. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” He took a deep breath of the lightly perfumed air. “Smells good too.”

Claude turned to look at his companion. Sebastian was even more striking in this setting, his pale skin accentuated by the play of moonlight and shadow, his fine features reflecting a simple joy. He could have easily passed for one of the fae folk, a bashful, gentle and beautiful creature that lived in the garden and only showed itself late at night among the fragrant blooms.

Sebastian noticed him staring. “What?” he asked a tad nervously.

“Sebastian…may I kiss you?” Claude asked softly. The words were sudden but he found he had no desire to take them back.

Sebastian didn’t reply but very slowly he nodded and his ruby eyes reflected a contrasting mixture of hesitation and eagerness, curiosity warring with fear. Claude knew he had to step lightly and move slowly with Sebastian. He was still fragile after everything with Will and Claude had no desire to reopen old wounds. He wanted more than anything to help Sebastian heal and forget and one way he knew he could do that was by giving him new and pleasant experiences to remember. But with the new naturally came a small amount of trepidation. Claude found that he desired nothing in that moment so much as to kiss Sebastian like he’d never been kissed before, to kiss his fears away until they never returned.

Claude stepped in closer and was encouraged when Sebastian made no move to back away from him. Claude’s hand reached out to gently cup Sebastian’s cheek, his thumb sliding across smooth skin tenderly. Sebastian leaned into the simple touch ever so slightly and it seemed he wasn’t aware of his own reaction. Claude’s other hand slipped around Sebastian’s waist to rest on the small of his back, drawing him nearer until there were mere inches between them. Claude had to fight against the urge to pull Sebastian flush against him, to press their bodies together in a way that would be much too intimate for a first kiss. Having Sebastian so close but yet not touching was tantalizing in a tormenting sort of way and Claude couldn’t deny that he was practically aching to feel that long lean body against his. But there would be chances for that later, when the fear of falling in love again was gone from Sebastian’s ruby eyes.

“Just relax,” Claude murmured. “Just feel what’s happening. Don’t think.” And without any more delay, Claude leaned in and captured Sebastian’s mouth with his own.

Sebastian’s initial response was to stiffen at the contact but after a moment when it became apparent that Claude wasn’t going to push anything more than the liplock, he relaxed and Claude felt him start to kiss back. Sebastian’s lips moved against his almost timidly but they were soft and warm and felt heavenly. Claude realized that Sebastian’s hands had come up to rest against his chest, long fingers curling tightly into Claude’s lapels. Moments passed and Claude was gratified to feel Sebastian lean into the kiss a bit more, his lips moving with more confidence. Claude dared to let the tip of his tongue slip out to swipe swiftly and lightly across Sebastian’s full bottom lip and he was both delighted and surprised to hear Sebastian let out a tiny moan. Still Claude thought it best not to push any farther though he was willing to admit that he would readily plunder the corners of Sebastian’s mouth if given the chance. When he pulled back, breaking the kiss, Sebastian instinctually followed Claude's retreating lips before catching himself. A rosy blush colored his cheekbones as he froze and took a tiny step back from Claude.

“I'm sorry,” he murmured, unable to meet Claude's gaze. He was glad that the garden was dim so his flush wasn’t so obvious. “It's been such a long time since anyone's kissed me.”

Upon hearing those words, Claude felt a jab of sympathy for the other man. It was apparent that Sebastian had been lonely after his relationship with Will had ended and everything that had happened recently had likely stirred up those feelings again. Claude's heart twisted at the thought; he knew well what it was like to lose someone you'd loved or perhaps still loved, despite everything. He thought it was highly likely that Sebastian had still held some amount of love for Will. Claude found himself reaching out to grasp Sebastian’s chin in gentle fingers, tilting his face up before leaning in swiftly for another kiss.

The second kiss was unexpected and obviously took Sebastian by surprise but he responded almost instantly, letting his lips slide over Claude's with more fervor than before. Claude's breath hitched at this different reaction and his hands gripped Sebastian’s hips firmly, pulling him close until their bodies were pressed together in the very way Claude had been aching for only moments ago. Sebastian groaned, apparently perfectly fine with this course of action, as he didn't make any move to stop Claude or to get away from him. Seconds later, when Claude's tongue licked at Sebastian’s bottom lip again the other man opened unhesitatingly and welcomed Claude's appendage in his mouth.

Sebastian allowed Claude to kiss him deeply for several long moments, their tongues sliding together, until the other man broke away. They were both breathing harder and at first there was only silence between them. In those moments, they were both alone with their initial concerns, Claude worried that he’d gone too far and offended Sebastian and Sebastian hoping that kissing him hadn’t been a disappointing experience. Finally, Claude spoke. “I’m sorry, Sebastian. I got a little carried away.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Sebastian hurried to reassure him. “I enjoyed it.” He paused and felt his face heat once again. “You’re a good kisser.”

There was a beat of surprised quiet as Claude processed these words and then he laughed softly. “Well, thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.”

When Claude leaned in once more to seal his lips against Sebastian’s both of their minds were at ease.

++++

It was over an hour later when they pulled into Sebastian’s driveway. Claude threw the truck in park and walked Sebastian up to his door. There, the younger man paused with his keys in hand, turning to face Claude.

“Thank you for a wonderful evening, Claude. I really had a good time. And you’ve been a perfect gentleman, seeing me to my front door and everything.” Sebastian offered Claude a smile and it was easy to see that it was genuine though it was also apparent that the younger man was feeling a bit shy.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” Claude said with an answering smile. Knowing that he’d been able to give Sebastian a nice evening and a reprieve from his troubles left him feeling satisfied. “But I have to ask: has no one ever seen you to your door after a date?”

Sebastian shook his head slowly. “No. You’re the first.”

Claude frowned just a bit. It was always something he made sure to do and so it was a bit hard to imagine that no one had done it for Sebastian. Claude considered it good manners firstly but then he was a bit old-fashioned in that way. Secondly, he so enjoyed Sebastian’s company that he found himself reluctant to part from him. He couldn’t understand how no one else had ever seemed to feel that way about Sebastian.

Just in this very moment, standing under the porch light and seeing Sebastian’s face made all the more lovely by the soft play of light and shadow, he could not wrap his mind around it.

“Well that’s a shame,” Claude said. “And that means that you’ve also never had the pleasure of being kissed on your own front porch.”

“Oh,” Sebastian said softly, his eyebrows raising slightly. “No. I haven’t. It sounds lovely though.” His eyes twinkled with a bit of mischief under the porch light.

Claude grinned. He knew an invitation when he saw one. One last goodnight kiss was the perfect way to wrap up a perfect evening.


End file.
